Ghost In The Cobra
by Gage39
Summary: Starscream travels back in time and finds a peculiar fleshling in need of assistance. My version of 'Starscream and Cobra Commander' being the same person. Better than it sounds!


Ghost In The Cobra

The ghost was tired. Logically, he knew that such sensations were impossible but he didn't really care anymore. All he wanted to do was fall into recharge but that too was impossible. He was forever doomed to wander the universe, never finding peace, never able to stop searching for…something, he didn't know what exactly but he wouldn't stop until he found it.

A weak cough interrupted Starscream's musings. The former Transformer moved through the cave walls, red optics falling on a peculiar blue creature huddled next to a small fire as he desperately tried to stay warm. He was humanoid in shape but with reptilian features. He would not survive the night, Starscream noted, feeling a small measure of pity well up in what used to be his spark; no one, not even this pathetic organic deserved to die alone, so far from friends and family.

It took some doing but Starscream managed to gather the creature in his arms and flew him away and towards civilization. As they flew the organic talked, the tale of loneliness and betrayal on his lips an all too familiar one. Perhaps they had been meant to find each other, two tortured souls drawn together by a common thread. They both wanted what was best for their people but could accomplish nothing on their own. Together, however, together could be unstoppable…

So, when they landed, Starscream did the only thing he knew to do; he took over the fleshling's body. It didn't take long for him to gather an army; both had been smart and strangely charismatic but that didn't mean they could keep the army. After all, no one knew better than Starscream himself how quickly blind loyalty could turn to hatred. So he made it impossible for them to leave; he forced them to fear him with random acts of violence and stuffed pocked with wads of money.

But all too soon it was gone, stolen from Starscream's grasp by unloyal subordinates and his own puppet. Allowing him some freedom had been his biggest (and only) mistake, Starscream decided. Every time the feeble mind was given some semblance of control, it quickly and efficiently undid all of Starscream's hard work, much like he had done (would do, he automatically corrected) with Megatron. It would have been far easier to simply destroy the other soul so he could have the body all to himself but Starscream couldn't bear to be left alone again so he continued to ignore the uprisings.

Even after Serpentor showed up (and wasn't he just a convenient little reminder) and his host turned into a snake Starscream stayed. Whether it was out of loneliness or a misplaced sense of guilt (or guilt over things yet to come) the ghost didn't know. Eventually, however, he rose to the top once again and this time he ensured that he stayed there. It he was to gain control over all the Earth before Megatron and the others awakened from their stasis then he needed to hurry.

All of his glorious plans once again (why did this always have to happen to him) came crashing to a halt because of G.I. JOE. He considered it highly ironic that they and not he were the ones that activated the volcano where several sentient alien robots slept. Terror and sadness and resignation had him disbanding Cobra (although he did warn his troops of several places that they should avoid at all costs) and doing what little he could to ease the humans' suffering. He still wasn't sure why he cared exactly what happened to them but blamed the body's original inhabitant.

Although he did enjoy getting to exact a little revenge on the Autobots, old habits die hard and all that. At times though he wondered what would happen if he turned himself in to the Autobots. He would love to see the expression on their faceplates if he did though. But he didn't, instead he stayed with his host, using his ghostly powers to preserve the body for far longer than was normal until it simply dissolved, leaving no trace of it behind. Starscream felt saddened (because no one was there to mourn either of them) and possessed another human long enough to erect a tombstone then departed once more.

It was another hundred years before he finally returned to Cybertron. He observed all of the changes that had taken place and was upset when he realized that he was thinking just how much his host would have loved to see the place. Starscream then decided that it was time to move on, but, on a whim, he stopped by his burial spot. He was extremely surprised to discover that Skyfire was visiting (and had done so many times before, judging from the one-sided conversation). As he watched Starscream felt something akin to disbelief travel through him. He was missed? Skyfire still mourned for him? Someone actually missed him. The words finally sunk in and Starscream started to cry. He shed tears; not only for himself, but also for the strange human he had saved long ago. And as he cried Starscream began to feel lighter and lighter even as a warm glow enveloped him. He (no, _they_, he corrected) had finally found what they were searching for and it felt wonderful…

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A/N: Hope everyone likes this. Once I realized that not only did Starscream and Cobra Commander share the same voice but also the same personality traits this fic came to mind and refused to go until I wrote it all down. Hope you enjoy! Please read and review!


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